Aquatic recreation device

ABSTRACT

This aquatic recreational and exercise device is intended to be propelled over the surface of a body of water, and is partspherical in shape having open ends and being of such dimensions that a person can stand, walk or run within it. The body of the device is formed of an annular series of buoyant segments each having an external outwardly extending paddle, and the device is propelled along and over the water by the operator walking or running within it in the direction he wishes to go, while a modification would allow for powered operation. An annular buoyant member is attached at each open end of the part-spherical body to provide stability.

United States Patent Finn [54] AQUATIC RECREATION DEVICE [72] Inventor:Arthur F; Finn, 608 John Marshall Drive,

N.W., Vienna, Va. 22l80 [22] Filed: Nov. 10, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 88,396

52 us. c1. .Q. ..115/20 511 im. Cl ...B63b 35/72 [58] Field oiSearch....115/20,0.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS r 3,428,0 1 5 2/1969 Cloud..115/20 X 3,5 1 6,381 6/1970 Bobbitt ..115/20 1 51 May 23, 1972 PrimaryExaminerAndrew Hi Farrell Attorney Scrivener, Parker, Scrivener andClarke ABSTRACT This aquatic recreational and exercise device isintended to be propelled over the surface of a body of water, and ispartspherical in shape having open ends and being of such dimensionsthat a person can stand, walk or run within it. The body of the deviceis formed of an annular series of buoyant segments each having anexternal outwardly extending paddle, and the device is propelled alongand over the water by the operator walking or running within it in thedirection he wishes to go, while a modification would allow for poweredoperation; An annular buoyant member is attached at each open end of thepart-spherical body to provide stability.

4ClalnB,5DrawingFigures PATENTEDHAY 23 I972 I N V15 NTOR ARTHUR F. F\NNm ma/v MJW9M ATTORNEYS DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 1A arediagrams illustrating and explaining the operation of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device provided by the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is an end view of the device showing the way in which it is used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The principle of operation of the deviceprovided by the invention is illustrated in FIGS! and 1A wherein thecircle A represents the part-spherical device supported on the surface Bof a body of water. The axis of the device is indicated at C and it willbe seen that in FIG. I this axis is parallel to the surface B. In thiscondition a counter-clockwise force applied to the body A about axis Cin the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 will cause the body to rotateand, because of the friction at the interface between the device and thebody of water, to roll straight ahead over the surface of the body ofwater in the direction of the arrow E of FIG. 1. If the axis C of thedevice is tilted to an angle with the surface of the body of water, asshown in FIG. IA, the moments acting on the system will cause the deviceto turn in the direction of the arrow F as it moves over the surface ofthe body of water, which is in the direction in which the axis of thedevice tilts toward the body of water, which is to the left with respectto the position of the operator.

In its preferred form, the aquatic device provided by the inventioncomprises an annular, open-ended device of such internal dimensions thata human being can stand upright inside it and walk or run on the annularinternal surface, and being of such axial length that it has lateralstability when floated on the surface of a body of water. I have foundthat good results may be obtained with an internal diameter of 7 feetand an overall axial length of 6 feet including the end stabilizerswhich 'are described hereafter.

The device comprises an annular open-ended central part 2 within whichthe operator stands, walks, or runs, and which comprises an annularseries of hollow, inflated sections or segments 4 each of which extendsaxially of the device, adjacent segments being connected along theirside edges at 6 to form an annular unitary structure. The number ofsegments in the ring may vary, and consequently the radial size of theindividual segments may vary, but I have found that 'a maximum internaldiameter of approximately 4 inches for each segment provides goodresults. The segments may be individually or simultaneously inflated byany known and suitable means.

Means are provided by the invention for increasing the propulsive effectof the walking or running movement of the operator. Such means comprisea plurality of paddles 10 which extend radially outwardly from thecentral part 2 of the device. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention, which is disclosed in the drawings, these paddles comprisehollow members the interior of each of which communicates with the whichis illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4,

interior of the segment 4 to which it is attached in order that thepaddle and the segment may be inflated simultaneously. As shown in thedrawings, the paddles are much shorter than the segments and arepositioned in circumferential alignment midway between the ends of thecentral part 2 of the device. Any number of paddles may be providedwithin the scope of the invention. I have found that good propulsiveresults are obtained by providing a paddle on every third segment, andsuch an embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawings.

Means are provided by the invention for providing additional stabilityto the central part of the device which has been described. Such meanscomprise the two doughnut-shaped rings 20, 22, one of which is providedat each end of the device and each of which is connected to the annularend of the central section 2 by any suitable means such as heat sealmg.These stabtllzer rings are hollow and may be inflated individually orsimultaneously with the other parts of the device, as desired, andwithin the scope of the invention.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention all of the parts are formedof transparent material, such as a strong synthetic plastic filmmaterial, in order to give good visibility to the operator. It will beapparent that for this purpose it is most im- 7 portant that the centralsection 2 be transparent, and within the scope of the invention otherparts may be formed of opaque material.

While it is contemplated that the device will be powered by the walkingor running motion of the operator, it is also within 'the scope of theinvention to utilize some prime mover such as an electric or gasolineengine or motor to cause rotation of the device and consequent movingover the surface of a body of water.

In the foregoing description the various parts of the device have beendescribed as hollow and inflated for use, but it will be understood thatwithin the scope of the invention some of the parts may be filled withany one of a number of known buoyant materials such as any one of theknown foamed rubber or plastic materials, the only requirements beingthat I the device be stable and buoyant in water and that the centralsection be transparent.

I claim:

1. A recreational and exercise device constructed and intended to bepropelled along the surface of a body of water by its own rotarymovement, comprising a central section formed of a plurality ofelongated buoyant members connected in side-by-side relation to form anopen-ended annular buoyant body which is part-spherical in externalshape and of sufficient internal size to accommodate a person instanding position, each of said members having an external radiallyoutwardly extending paddle connected thereto and disposed axially of thebody, and'a doughnut-shaped buoyant member attached to each end of thebody and being concentric therewith.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which each of the buoyant membersis hollow and inflated.

3. A device according to claim I, in which each of the buoyant membersis filled with buoyant material.

4. A device according to claim I in which at least the central sectionis formed of transparent material.

1. A recreational and exercise device constructed and intended to bepropelled along the surface of a body of water by its own rotarymovement, comprising a central section formed of a plurality ofelongated buoyant members connected in side-by-side relation to form anopen-ended annular buoyant body which is part-spherical in externalshape and of sufficient internal size to accommodate a person instanding position, each of said members having an external radiallyoutwardly extending paddle connected thereto and disposed axially of thebody, and a doughnut-shaped buoyant member attached to each end of thebody and being concentric therewith.
 2. A device according to claim 1,in which each of the buoyant members is hollow and inflated.
 3. A deviceaccording to claim 1, in which each of the buoyant members is filledwith buoyant material.
 4. A device according to claim 1 in which atleast the central section is formed of transparent material.